The crowd erupted with excitement when former President Barack Obama playfully recited rap lyrics at a rally for Kamala Harris on October 22. The former U.S. President had taken the stage in Detroit after rap powerhouse Eminem introduced him to the gathering throng.
Eminem, who has deep ties to Detroit, opened by expressing his personal connection to the city and urging residents to exercise their right to vote. He emphasized the importance of free expression and praised Vice President Harris for supporting policies that protect fundamental freedoms. “I’m proud to introduce President Barack Obama,” he said, concluding his remarks.
Obama steal lyrics from Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”
After a brief embrace with Eminem, Obama made his speech at the podium.
“I’ve done a lot of rallies, so I don’t usually get nervous. But I’m feeling some kind of way following Eminem,” he joked. He then surprised the crowd by seamlessly slipping into the opening lyrics of Eminem’s 2002 hit “Lose Yourself,” saying, “My palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There’s vomit on my sweater already, mom’s spaghetti.”
The crowd roared as Obama continued with more lines from the song, pausing to let the moment sink in before playfully mimicking the rhythm with “dah-dah-dah-dah.”
“I love me some Eminem,” Obama added, cementing the lighthearted moment.
Later in his speech, Obama threw a jab at Kamala Harris’ opponent, Donald Trump, referencing the Republican candidate’s October 19 town hall, where Trump played music for 30 minutes instead of taking questions.
“He’s just up there swaying to ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘YMCA,’” Obama quipped, adding, “Our playlist might be better.”
Eminem’s Longstanding Criticism of Trump
Eminem, known for his outspoken views on politics, has frequently criticized Trump. In 2016, he released an eight-minute track titled “Campaign Speech,” in which he fiercely attacked Trump’s campaign and candidacy. One of the memorable lines read, “And that’s what you wanted, a f*ckin’ loose cannon who’s blunt with his hand on the button who doesn’t have to answer to no one? Great idea!”
A year later, Eminem continued his verbal assault on Trump with a freestyle performance at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, where he once again expressed his disdain for the then-president.
During the rally, Eminem spoke of the importance of Michigan as a swing state in the election, while throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Going into this election, the spotlight is on us more than ever. I think it's important to use your voice, so I'm encouraging everyone to go out and vote, please."
"I also think that people shouldn't be afraid to express their opinions. Now I don't think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution or what people will do if you make your opinion known"
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